‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’: Everything We Know So Far

Jurassic World broke major box office records in its 2015 theatrical debut, so it wasn’t exactly a big surprise when Universal quickly greenlit a sequel. Though some specifics are still being kept under wraps, there have been a few hints so far as to where the follow-up blockbuster — subtitled Fallen Kingdom — will go. Here’s everything we know about the sequel so far.

1. The idea of weaponizing dinosaurs will be further explored

Jurassic World | Universal Pictures

In Jurassic World, audiences saw Vincent D’Onofrio’s character, Hoskins, pushing to weaponize the powerful creatures for his own monetary gain. That will be a continuing thread in the sequel, as Trevorrow hinted to Wired.

“There are applications for this science that reach far beyond entertainment. And when you look back at nuclear power and how that started, the first instinct was to weaponize it and later on we found it could be used for energy,” he explained.

There’s also the question of what could happen if other organizations figure out how to replicate InGen’s process for creating a dinosaur — something that Dr. Wu warned Dr. Mesrani about in the first film.

As Trevorrow hinted, “This isn’t something necessarily that was in the book but is a seed that I wanted to plant in this movie, that might be able to grow in more of these movies if they decide to make more of them, is: What if this went open source? It’s almost like InGen is Mac, but what if PC gets their hands on it? What if there are 15 different entities around the world who can make a dinosaur?”

2. These stars will return

Jurassic World | Universal Pictures

As expected, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will be reprising their roles as dinosaur trainer Owen Grady and former park chief Claire Dearing. And thankfully, Howard’s Claire will be running around in more practical shoes this time.

“[Original director Colin Trevorrow] told me, when the sequel was happening, when it got greenlit and that I was going to be in it, he texted me, ‘#NoHeels2018′,” the actress told Collider. “And I was like, ‘Yeah boy!'”

Actor Jake Johnson recently confirmed via Twitter that his character, Lowery, will not be returning to the sequel. However, B.D. Wong will reprise his role as Dr. Henry Wu, as confirmed by executive producer Frank Marshall.

Justice Smith, the star of Baz Lurhmann’s The Get Down, has also joined the cast of Jurassic World in a still-unspecified role.

4. Trevorrow will still be involved

Colin Trevorrow | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

While Trevorrow won’t be returning to direct the follow-up movie, he still remains actively involved in the project. As with Jurassic World, he penned the screenplay for the upcoming sequel alongside Derek Connelly.

As for the rest of the creative team, Steven Spielberg will be returning as an executive producer while Frank Marshall will also once again produce.

5. The sequel will be scarier than the first

Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World | Universal

Jurassic World 2 will be scarier than its predecessor, according to Trevorrow. The filmmaker recently explained that the sequel will have a different tone under the helm of Bayona. As he told CinemaBlend:

J.A. Bayona is very good at [creating scares]. There are things that he’ll just do with a shadow, or a rustling curtain on a wall. He’s so tapped into that kind of fear, especially the fear through the eyes of a child. He and I are just simpatico, as an American and a Spanish person. We may be the mirrors of each other. It is by far the most satisfying collaboration of my life.

Given Bayona’s background in horror, it makes sense that Jurassic World 2 will alter its tone a little bit and take the film to a scarier place. If it can build upon the scares of the first movie while still keeping the same adventurous feel, Universal will likely have another hit on its hands.

6. It will address those CGI concerns

Jurassic World | Universal Pictures

One of the major complaints about Jurassic World was how CGI-heavy it was. In 2016, Trevorrow confirmed that Bayona will address this concern in the upcoming sequel by adding more animatronic dinosaurs. As he said:

There will be animatronics for sure. We’ll follow the same general rule as all of the films in the franchise, which is the animatronic dinosaurs are best used when standing still or moving at the hips or the neck. They can’t run or perform complex physical actions, and anything beyond that you go to animation. The same rules applied in Jurassic Park… We’ve written some opportunities for animatronics into [Jurassic World 2]—because it has to start at the script level—and I can definitely tell you that Bayona has the same priorities, he is all about going practical whenever possible.

7. What we’ve seen so far

Jurassic World 2 | J.A. Bayona/Twitter

The first image from Jurassic World 2 (above) has been released via Bayona’s Twitter account and it’s raising more questions than answers. In the photo, a young girl is seen above in a museum filled with dinosaur fossils. But who exactly is that child? And where is this taking place? That remains unclear, so fans will have to stay tuned for more details.

8. It’s part two of a trilogy

Chris Pratt in Jurassic World | Universal Pictures

During a roundtable conversation with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley confirmed that plans for a Jurassic World trilogy were already underway. “Colin Trevorrow is busy working on an outline,” she said. “He’s been working with Steven [Spielberg]. And they have an idea for the next two movies actually.”

She also added that the studio was initially unaware of Spielberg and Trevorrow’s plans, stating, “It was designed as a trilogy, unbeknown to us. It’s a happy surprise.”

Director Bayona confirmed that the franchise will be a trilogy, telling Latino Review: “The whole Jurassic World is a trilogy that Colin Trevorrow has envisioned. We’re writing the second chapter, and it’s very interesting where he’s leading the story. I grew up watching Steven Spielberg movies and I love those movies and the legacy, so it’s a question of being truthful to the legacy and at the same time, bringing new stuff that people will appreciate.”